The Hinsdale Central band program held a night of performances in late October, dubbed Bandamonium, that included various high school and middle school ensembles.
Mr. Matt Kurinsky, leader of the band program at Central, said the purpose of this event was to showcase the high school band program to both the parents of middle school children and the middle school students themselves. “We held Bandamonium to allow all band students at Hinsdale Central and its middle school feeders to share musical performances,” Kurinsky said. “We even had a big combined performance where the middle schoolers played ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey with us at the end of the event,” Kurinsky said.
This is the first time that Central’s band program has hosted Bandamonium. In previous years, the band program had held the 8th Grade Pep Band Night, where eighth grade students were invited to play with the band at a basketball game and at the HCHS Band Festival. Bandamonium is a combination of these two events, showing both Central’s pep and concert bands.
“All band students from Central, Hinsdale Middle, Clarendon Hills Middle, Westview Hills Middle, and Butler Junior High came and rehearsed together in the gym, shared a pizza dinner in the cafeteria, and ended with a combined performance that was open to the public,” Kurinsky said. “From the feedback I have received, it sounds like the middle school students are really excited about band,” Kurinsky said.
The middle school students are not the only ones who enjoyed Bandamonium. Melissa Li, junior, is a member of the Wind Ensemble who performed in Bandamonium. “I had fun getting to know the people I might be playing with next year and seeing my old band director,” Li said. “It was really loud and hectic, but in a good way,” Li said.
Kurinsky has heard a lot of support for another Bandamonium. “The feedback on the event is overwhelmingly positive. The parents enjoyed the quick format of the performance in the gym. I think Bandamonium will become an annual event for the Hinsdale Central Bands,” Kurinsky said.
